On May 13 Portugal’s Salvador Sobral wowed audiences by staying true to himself and delivering a message from the heart. And the same held true just moments after he won and accepted the Eurovision 2017 winner’s trophy.
“We live in a world of disposable music — fast-food music without any content,” Sobral said on stage in Kyiv’s International Exhibition Centre. “I think this could be a victory for music that actually means something. Music is not fireworks. Music is feeling.”
The speech was widely interpreted as criticism of music that’s become commonplace in the contest recently, including slickly produced songs from the Nordic countries. To many it was arrogant and misplaced.
A few days later, Sweden’s Robin Bengtsson — who placed a very respectable fifth — responded to Sobral’s comments via his personal Instagram account.
“I think your speech after winning the ESC was below the level of a true winner,” he wrote. “‘Fast food’ pop music can be the best thing in the world at the right place and time, so can a song as beautiful as yours. There is room for everyone.”
Our comments section exploded, with people rushing to defend Salvador and Robin in equal measure.
In honour of the ongoing debate, which will no doubt rage during the Eurovision 2018 selection season, we’ve dreamed up a delicious new design, available on t-shirts, vests, sweatshirts, hoodies and more, that let’s you express where you stand on the debate.
Built around a hamburger wearing headphones, this appetising statement piece either features the words “say yes to fast food music” or “say no to fast food music” and they come in a variety of colours, including red, green, pink, black, blue, yellow, orange and purple. Dripping with mayonnaise and ketchup, it’s tasty no matter what option you go for!
Fast-food music t-shirts
*Get the SAY YES to fast-food music shirt
*Get the SAY NO to fast-food music shirt
Among those artists who would definitely say yes to some musical fast-food are Alexander Walman, who acted as vocalist for Norway’s track “Grab The Moment”, Australia’s Isaiah Firebrace and two-time Melodifestivalen finalist Wiktoria.
All of them liked Robin’s Instagram post.
Writing on our news item about Robin’s statement, wiwireader “God-Emperor” said he loves fast-food music. But he also described Salvador’s win as “the nightmare of the Swedish establishment, who seem to love nothing more than a performance that is completely planned-through into the smallest detail and will always be the robotic same. Who seem to want to kill any spontaneous artistic expression at the root. Who seemed like they needed to teach the rest of Europe how to do Eurovision ‘properly’ (in their eyes). Who seemed to force their standards upon the whole contest. Who – deliberately or not – seem to have established colonies in Azerbaijan, Serbia, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Ireland and other countries, in a condescending attempt to take over the whole of Europe, the whole of our Eurovision. They failed. Europe has emancipated itself from the Swedish establishment.”
Where do YOU stand on the debate? Vote in our poll below. And which hamburger shirt would you wear if forced? Let us know in the comments box below.
[polldaddy poll=”9768706″]
I would love Wiwibloggs to go from strength to strength and sell thousands of tee-shirts, but I think Sobral’s sentiment is the last thing it should be presenting. Eurovision fans like me have been fighting against such feelings for decades from those who dismiss the contest as a whole. The last thing we want is for them to come from our own cognoscenti. Back in 1975 at school I was peer-pressurised to hate “Ding-A-Dong” and I almost gave in to it. Then one day, I realised that I really loved the song didn’t care who knew. Sobral’s whining has reminded… Read more »
He spoke only after winning. You can love whatever music you like, but don’t hope that a contest fits your own needs.
Great idea! Now all we’re still missing is a shirt reading “Kekistan 12 points” ^^.
The Salvador’s song is so Fast Food Music as others…he don’t sell that song and nobody is really listening when he sings in English in Portugal. It is offered with the CD from Eurovision.
Exactly!! Nobody likes disposable songs whether they are pop or jazz!! But good songs are just good songs and most people would gladly listen to them ……
I would never wore any of these, I think it’s bad and immature idea, it only divides people and make them quarell.
The design of T-shirt looks nice. Fast food’ pop music is not too bad kind of music.
Y de comida? ?
I disagree that pop music is disposable in the first place!!
Salvador’s song has been disposed off faster than Hey Mamma , City lights . I can’t go on is also still in 2 charts I think. So by definition not disposed yet.
Sorry, but that is not true. Salvador is still charting. Last time I checked more than Belgium and Moldavia. I don’t this is a good indication, anyway, of what is disposable or not… Also, nobody ever said, including Salvador, that pop is by definition disposable… The Beatles made pop and lasted forever.
No he wasn’t charting
If this makes them send more variety, then let the controversy burn.
Calm, Salvador’s song no one will sing it???
Well… Everyday I see new versions showing up in Youtube in all languages… So, somebody is singing it…
Most of the Eurovision fans are not a problem with the fast food style music & I think so. But mostly are just bored with the Sweden who always send out English songs. Same like Azerbaijan.
We hope Sweden will send a Swedish song in Eurovision stick with its usual style even though it does not have to be a Swedish song every year.
& Azerbaijan,Georgia,& Russia is also.
I think Salvador was 100 % right in his speech. And we should remember it was not a “dismissment” of the other ESC-songs…more about pop songs in general. I also prefer songs – especially in ESC – which are a bit “deep”, honest, daring, different sounding, sophisticated, innovative etc. That Robin reacted so strongly is interesting…maybe it says something about the way the wedes make their ESC-songs? OK, thankfully they have stpped making schlagers. Stil their songs are a bit generic, and “superfincial”. Even if I like some of them. I think also “fast food music” can be nice music… Read more »
You can’t have it both ways “Music is the key”. At first you say Sobral is 100% right to dismiss “fast food music”, then you say it “can be nice music”.
Those fence posts must be really uncomfortable.
when people still salty with the winner and some of them hear fastfood songs, good luck for your health, salty with fastfood can be dangerous jajajaja
Meanwhile, I’m so happy with Jamala’s victory and Salvador Sobral’s victory 😀
Hahaha! 😀
Thanks wiwi team what a cute design !!!
I am very happy Salvador’s favorite song
“City Lights” and “Occidentali’s Karma” is great radio hit and top the chart Ranking in many country worldwild .congratulation.
His another favorite song “Blackbirds” also top the esc2017 press center semi1 rehearsal ranking .
The problem here is that everyone start to participate with songs that sound the same what makes eurovision really boring sometimes.They all sing in English with swedish pop song.For me the portuguese victory is an open eyes for everyone.Its not that type of songs tha could be sucessfull in ESC.I think its a show that needs a little of everything,country cultures(like Hungary this year.I didnt like that song but im really happy with their place because they deserve because they bet different or Belarus).Thats for me its the most need of ESC more varity of songs,cultures not the same type… Read more »
Explain that to juries…
I love any kind of music.. I don’t judge.. tears with Amar pelos dois, happy with Hey mamma, jealous about the voices in Lights and shadows and dance to City lights.. just love music
so wiwibloggs is on salvador’s side?
oh wait nevermind…. just realised there are 2 versions of the shirt lol
Rather see more musical variety than everyone going into ESC with the same sounding generic pop tracks I’ve been hearing and seeing in the contest in recent years. And to think that in the almost 10 years of their participation, Azerbaijan has been relying on foreign songwriters, composers, and producers, with only partial local involvement other than who the country sends to sing their entries. A playbook that has yielded them early Top 10 placements and one win but has since been failing to keep that momentum going in later years. Probably a good time now to rethink their strategy… Read more »
I’m far too unsophisticated to understand the difference between fast food and gourmet music. Heck, I don’t even know why it should matter. I’m in awe of those who can comprehend such musical subtleties as the difference between ‘dated’ and ‘retro’ or ‘generic euro trash’ contra ‘good pop music’. Now, not having a deeper understanding of music of course gives me the privilege to listen to everything with equal enjoyment. I mostly listen to classical music, which I suppose falls into the category of real music, but I do it for the same reasons I listen to I can’t Go… Read more »
“For others who invest a lot of their identity into what music they prefer, this question might be of greater importance.” That´s the real point of this question. People who are really emotionally mature and sound, are the ones that embrace diversity in all aspects of life. Because is hypocrite to have a speech about the need to help refugees and after that depreciate other genres of music and artistic manifestations. That´s the kind of people that unconsciously need to make themselves superior and better than others, just to mask a very weak sense of self. The kind of people… Read more »
Actualy Salvador means Saviour.
Amazing what he said about music, it can even be very useful for musicians, so they are not fake with their songs. Genuine music!
About refugees, it was a humanitarian act. But what he says about music can also be a cold and at the same time humanitarian attitude.
About “that depreciates other genres of music,” he doesn’t hear only jazz or classical music, he appreciates other genres. I think you’re labeling him too much.
Like most others below (and the poll), I quite like having a mix of both ‘gourmet’ and ‘fast food’ music–you probably wouldn’t want to sing ‘gourmet’ at a karaoke night, but at the same time, you wouldn’t want to sing ‘gourmet’ if you’re not trained to begin. While I enjoy that sort of music (to whatever definition people have), in the end I still like ‘fast food’ since it’s fun to sing along.
As a pop music lover I say the less fast food music the better. Fast food music doesn’t equal pop music or party music, just like ballads aren’t automatically “real music” (for example that pandering Georgian song). Fast food music is music made without feeling with the only purpose of making profit or winning a contest. It’s usually bland, inauthentic and forgettable. If I only have money to buy a frozen pizza from the supermarket that’s what I’ll eat, but anytime I’d much rather have a home cooked meal (home cooked pizza!) or a pizza from an actual good restaurant.… Read more »
In light of my longer comment, I wish there was a T-Shirt option for “Say ‘Sometimes!” to Fast-Food Music” 😉
As the Cookie Monster so eloquently puts it on Sesame Street, nowadays: ‘cookies are a sometimes food’
The more accurate term would be “junk food” music or “comfort food” music: mostly treat, little nutrition, taken in because it feels good at the time. Fine in small doses, dangerous in large ones. The key is not mistaking “an occasional empty, tasty delight” for “a valid primary staple of my diet”. Even more key: not deluding oneself into thinking that the comfort food/music is somehow “just as good as” more nutritious fare, and thus a worthy replacement for all such fare. Because it isn’t. Let’s be honest. We all know that burgers, ice cream shakes, chicken nuggets, cupcakes, quick-croissants,… Read more »
The problem of “fast food” “music” is the overrating. Of course theres no problem listen this kind of music. But it’s bad overrating plastic music, there are artists that write songs genuinely and something pure. Nowadays people prefer something more impulsive with excessive beatings without vocal expression and robotic and random lyrics….
But obvious that money comes first, and lets make something “fake” for playing on radios… well capitalism problems… ?
(fast-food (level hight) for fast-food lovers:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0hKqe918nc)
All you need for a hit song is just a couple of Swedes and a laptop…Scandipop is the best!
O dos portugueses con una guitarra y una voz , donde esta el argumento?
All you need to do is look at the songwriting credits of Max Martin, RedOne, Ilya Salmanzadeh, Carl Falk, and Rami Yacoub to name a few that are responsible for multiple #1 songs.
True. That doesn’t necessarily makes it good.
I meant *isn’t harmful*
I don’t think he got it right by saying that disposable music is bad. It’s definitely not my cup of tea, but I don’t find any problem on people liking it (as long as this music is harmful to any group of people such as the hypersexualized, sexist reggaeton that is widely spreading around the world with the at my view shameful Spanish tag on it). However, I feel the same as him by the fact that music industry is so hard to access as it is a forever rotating wheel of veteran artists whose music is just recorded and… Read more »
Let my cholesterol level goes to the sky and my body to the floor.
That design is so disposable guys. Couldn’t you make it with real photo of tasty burger just up from microwave, pardon, hot coals?
comedic realism > tragic realism. ain’t nobody gonna want a REAL burger on their chest!
Thank you, Nancy. You are very eloquent LOL!!! <3
McDonalds do very nice salads these days. I had a lovely one in Monaco.
Can we have a poll please
GREAT IDEA. ADDING NOW!
OKAY, poll added above and here: http://polldaddy.com/poll/9768706/
Yas, I’ll be wearing this while bopping to Chained to the Rhythm by Katy Perry (available on iTunes, Spotify and Apple Music NOW!!!)
?very music genre is good depending on the taste of the listener, and every song can cause feelings even catchy pop songs can cause happiness. Salvador is not the god of music and has no right to tell us what to listen, shading the taste of other people was offensive and ridiculous and also i dont think salvador’s song is so exceptional and real as he thinks it is, to me it’s just another boring ballad about love and it stood out mainly because it was the slowest song in the contest and the singer was acting weird onstage
Huge agreement on this 🙂 I still can’t see how people can call him the kindest and purest contestant of them all
has I said: “The problem of “fast food” “music” is the overrating. Of course theres no problem listen this kind of music. But it’s bad overrating plastic music, there are artists that write songs genuinely and something pure. Nowadays people prefer something more impulsive with excessive beatings without vocal expression and robotic and random lyrics…. ”
Salvador isn’t a god, but I hope he is the salvador (please write it on google translator lmao) of eurovision.
Salvador never mention Fast food = Nordic music lol
As for Eurovision. Juries are the ones who vote more “Fast Food”: Heroes and Sound of Silence.
On Sweden. We need to point out Swedes didn’t want Robin’s Fast food to represent them (juries again).
They wanted Nano and his authenticity + Hit (Following Frans’ steps).
That said, I enjoy good Fast Food like Hey Mamma or As I Lay Me Down 🙂
But not bad and pretentios Fast Food.
It’s an interesting point about juries. Fast food could also equal radio hit, which makes sense for the juries.
If those jurors vote based on what could do well on the radio (and they do), then they should apply for a job at some record label. Still, they got it all wrong, since I Can’t Go On was a commercial flop outside of Sweden – and even within Sweden, it didn’t manage to outpeak and outstream As I Lay Me Down.
Indeed. We need all kind of Hits.
But “Sound of silence” was a flop on radio success. “If I were sorry” a huge hit. Who did juries vote for?
Same this year. “Hey Mamma” and “City Lights” are being played on the radio in many countries.. yet juries didn’t see it and voted for other countries.
I don’t understand how they do their job.
If we have a Hit in Eurovision, public will vote for it. We don’t need juries on that purpose I think.
Also juries never vote funny or unique entries 🙁
Can we all agree that the juries are a small sample of the general public who mostly vote based on their personal taste? Don’t be surprised if their votes are all over the place lol.
That is part of the problem. You know the saying, “shoot for the moon so you land among the stars”. Eurovision and the juries should aim to make the show *influence* and *help shape* the music industry, not copy it. That’s how you get all the fast food/corporate/sterile music both in and outside the contest.
No No No.
When you’re talking about Sweden or Australia, the songs are always “radiofriendly” never “cheesy” or “disposable”.
Russia 2016 is cheesy, Italy 2017 is cheesy. Sweden 2017 is “potencial hit”, “created for the markets”.
Too bad the market was unbothered by Sweden’s cheesy and disposable attempt.
Well, the market has been bothered enough to stream “I can’t go on” 17 million times om Spotify so far. Maybe not “If I were sorry”-proportions, but we all know that one was exceptional talking ESC-standards.
I wouldn’t call “Hey Mamma” fast food music tho. Fast food music =/= party music or upbeat music.
Just like fast food itself, “disposable” pop music is tasty, catchy and enjoyable with moderation, it also depends on the mood. There’s also a time for gourmet music and it’s great when people appreciate it as well, like in this case, winning a contest like ESC. So there is a time and a mood for both, both are good and people shouldn’t be judged for liking either of them.
TOTALLY AGREE! Today I had some takeaway Kurdish food and it was DELICIOUS! Different day, different flavours! And I think the “fast-food” element — fireworks, explosions, etc. — is one of the things that makes Eurovision so special. And it’s great to have some gourmet Salvador in the middle of it too!
As Katy Perry says, Bon Appétit, baby (buy it on iTunes).
LOL i’m hungry now